namelesstavern.net

MARYVILLE, Tenn. - A teenager was jailed for nine days after being accused of burning an American flag on the Fourth of July, and he faces trial next month.

While the case could test a state statute against flag burning — an act the U.S. Supreme Court says is protected under the First Amendment — prosecutors said Andrew Elisha Staley has yet to argue that he was exercising free speech rights.

"Bottom line is, the kid got drunk," said Lisa Lee, his mother. "He's never been in trouble before."

Staley, 18, is accused of taking the flag from a residence and setting it on fire. His father said the teenager "has no reason for anger against the United States" and could easily have ignited a garbage can instead of a flag.

"He was brought up in church, and he knows right from wrong," Doc Staley said.

Doc Staley said his son has been "floundering around" since dropping out of high school. "This is where the drinking came in. And he's not very good at it," the father said.

The teenager was released from jail Thursday on his own recognizance while he awaits his Aug. 2 trial on charges of desecrating a venerated object, underage drinking, littering, evading arrest, burning personal property and theft.

The Tennessee flag-burning statute makes the crime a misdemeanor, punishable by less than a year in jail and up to $2,500 fine.

I hope they spank this idiot HARD.

"He was brought up in church, and he knows right from wrong," Doc Staley said.

Big surprise.

I hope they spank this idiot HARD.

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You're probably the weirdest fucker here.

You're probably the weirdest fucker here.

lol thanks

So what you are saying is you are opposed to Freedom of Speech, and want people only to be allowed to do what you want them to do.

We have another name for your kind.

The most amazing thing about that article is that the parents aren't running around screaming about how their kid is just misunderstood.

No one deserves the freedom to burn an American flag. I wouldn't give the kid a harsh penalty though.

Markarado wrote:No one deserves the freedom to burn an American flag. I wouldn't give the kid a harsh penalty though.

On the contrary, everyone deserves it. It's exactly the type of freedoms we are trying to allow people to have, regardless of personal opinion.

He can burn it, but he should be open season for an ass kicking after that.

If he gets even a remotely competent attourney, he's going to get off scott-free, given the precedent of the Supreme Court decision. The worst he's going to get charged with is the lowest grade of misdemeanor theft, because it was someone else's flag he took. Flags aren't exactly expensive, so it'd no doubt fall into the same category as someone who got caught shoplifting a couple CDs at the mall.

You don't like it when someone burns a flag to make a statement? Fine, you're more than welcome to express your displeasure verbally. You do it physically, however, and give him an "ass kicking", you'll be up on charges for assault. Is flag-burning an extreme sort of statement, when used as political speech? Oh, absolutely. Then again, so is letting the Nazi party hold public rallies, and that's protected under the 1st amendment too. The free speech provision doesn't extend to speech we happen to like or agree with, it means ALL speech, even that which we might personally find abhorrent or reprehensible.

-Arlos

Arlos wrote: You do it physically, however, and give him an "ass kicking", you'll be up on charges for assault.

Only if your caught...im thinking a nice pillow party. i.e. throw a pillow over his head and beat his ass with a bar of soap in a sock.

lyion wrote:

Markarado wrote:No one deserves the freedom to burn an American flag. I wouldn't give the kid a harsh penalty though.

On the contrary, everyone deserves it. It's exactly the type of freedoms we are trying to allow people to have, regardless of personal opinion.

You know Lyion every time I think I got you figured out you say something like this and I have to think

I would have figured you for being against flag burning. Personally I agree with you on the matter of free speech and always having the right to stand up and say "I dont like what my government is doing" but I dont think that burning the American flag is an appropriate form of protest and is too generalized a protest to serve any useful purpose. IMO if you are upset about a specific policy or a specific elected official then you should have every right to voice your opinion without having to worry about retribution or persecution from "the man", but burning the American flag is like saying "I dont like anything to do with America" in which case there are more than enough vehicles to get you out of USA and someplace you think you might be happier.

I wiped my ass with a flag this morning.

in fact, I have flag printed toilet paper.

markarado doesn't want americans to have very many freedoms. he thinks i'm a perfect example of an american with too many freedoms

the founders of this country burned the king of england in effigy this was paramount to treason, if they felt this sort of extreme protest was valid i dont see a difference between that and burning and american flag.

i dont have to like it but i will defend your right to do it

I hate to see the American flag burned, however I dont think somone should bepunished for doing it.

The founders of America were declaring independence from England and knew that what they were doing was treason. If somewone burns the American flag they should be punished as if they were committing treason.

Drem, you'r an idiot.

treason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

words and ideas are not treason, that is the whole point of this county. there has been burning in effigy of heads of state and symbols of country going all they way back to the founding of this nation. desecration of the american flag is a very visual and disgusting way of showing anger and civil disobedience

while i personally cannot stand the idea of someone burning the american flag.. to make it illegal and stifling free speach is just one more step to fascism

some like mindia might like goosteping to the ideals of the religeous wrong, but i dont

What's the point in a flag burning law anyway? I'm sure there are enough city, county, and state ordinances in place saying you can't run around burning shit in public. You know, fire hazard and all that.

All we need is another law. Both extremes are legislating this country to death. The super cons want to make it illegal for you to think anything and the douche liberals want to make it illegal for you to do anything. Whichever side wins we lose.

american flag burning is specifically an act of civil disobedience, it is almost always used to draw attention or to make a point. fires in public are usually allowed in certain places or situations.

like someone else pointed out, its just like letting the KKK march.. you might hate them but they have every right to march. stuff like this and passing other thought crime laws annoy me to no end (reichstad err i mean patriot act)

lyion wrote:So what you are saying is you are opposed to Freedom of Speech, and want people only to be allowed to do what you want them to do.

We have another name for your kind.

No, I'm just saying what I said... I don't view 'burning the US flag" as a freedom-of-speech issue. If you view it that way that's your problem. Burning the US flag should be punishable by law. A couple months in the slammer will make them think twice about it the next time. If you don't like what's going on with American politics then engage in and join peaceful demonstrations and wave your "<insert politican here> sucks!" sign, but don't burn the US flag. If I saw someone burn a US flag near me I would feel compelled to knock their teeth in.

It's a piece of fabric, much like a shirt. I see no problem in burning it if you want. It's a symbol, much like a wedding ring. America doesnt live in the flag, you arent burning America. It's just cloth.

Hrm, I need to find where Mindia lives, set up a video camera, burn a flag, tape him attacking me, then get him sent to jail for 3-5 for felonious assault. Considering he probably hits like a 9 year old girl, it'd be worth it. Sorry, Mindia, the Supreme Court has already ruled that burning a flag is perfectly legal. The fact that you disagree doesn't change that. So sorry, I feel your pain. OK, no, I don't.

-Arlos